Murderous Intent
by Alani
Summary: After a shooting spree at the movies, Carly Garrett is abducted by the killer...can the agents find her in time? Complete.
1. Default Chapter

PROLOGUE  
  
Previously…   
  
As planned, Scully and Mulder met Carly back at her apartment that evening. Carly didn't look too upset, in fact, she looked…peaceful. Happy even. In her hand she held a bottle of red wine and asked the two agents what they would like to drink. Mulder didn't drink very often and neither did Scully.  
  
" We're celebrating," Carly told them.  
  
" Well, if that's the case, I'll have some red." Mulder decided as he loosened his tie a bit.  
  
Scully opted for white wine and then asked what they were celebrating.  
  
" I went to Dad's executioner this afternoon," Carly began as they sat around the living room, " for the reading of the Will."  
  
" How did it go?" Scully asked.  
  
" Very surprising," Carly said taking a sip of her red wine. She paused and Mulder could smell the faint odour of cigarette smoke. He half expected the smoking man to appear.  
  
" Dad left my sister one million dollars," Carly told them.  
  
" That's quite a bit of money," Scully commented and Mulder nodded.  
  
" She's the eldest isn't she?" he asked her.  
  
" Yes, but that doesn't make any difference. Dad left me a million too." Carly replied.  
  
Mulder's jaw nearly dropped to the ground, " You're filthy rich then."  
  
" I wondered where Dad had gotten the money," Carly confessed, " so I was hoping the diaries would give me some clue."  
  
" He never told you he was actually quite rich?" Scully asked her and Carly shook her head.  
  
They finished their wine and Carly gave the agents each a diary to read. Her father had five diaries.  
  
Mulder started reading his, spanning the years 1950-1955, Amos Garrett's first diary. Scilly had the second diary while Carly had the other three. He glanced up briefly to study Carly. It might have been the wine, but in his opinion, she was looking beautiful that night.   
  
  
  
Then the realisation hit him with a force so hard he nearly gasped out loud…he's been attracted to Carly all this time!   
  
Not that there's anything I can do about it, Mulder thought, someone beat me to her. I'm such a fool…why didn't I realise my feelings earlier? He continued reading and tried not to think about her…which was kind f hard to do considering she was sitting in the recliner right next to him.   
  
Half an hour later, there was a gasp from Carly, " Oh my God," she breathed, her face going white.  
  
" What? What is it?" Mulder asked her.  
  
" In the early eighties, Dad was part of the Syndicate you told me about…he volunteered to be part of a new experiment. One of his colleagues injected some kind of substance into his bloodstream…he was then monitored so that the Syndicate could see what kind of side-effects the substance had." Carly closed the book, " Dad volunteered because the Syndicate offered him three million dollars to do it."  
  
Mulder let out the breath he'd been holding, " Well…that answers a lot of our questions."  
  
Scully's brow furrowed, " you said he had received three million from them…You and your sister were left one million each…what happened the other million?"  
  
" In 1987, Dad put the money in a safe at the bank. Just last week when he went to get it, the money had disappeared from the safe. His last entry was dated December 15th, 2003."   
  
" Someone from the Syndicate burned your father's body and stole the vials to get rid of the evidence." Mulder added.  
  
" Don't you dare say it was Spender," Carly warned him.  
  
" I wasn't going to," he protested.  
  
It was getting late, Scully told Mulder it was time to go. She said goodnight to Carly before going downstairs to drive home.  
  
Mulder lingered in the doorway, " when are we going to meet this sister of yours?" he asked her.  
  
" I don't know…she's out tonight and I dare say she won't be back til early morning."  
  
" Will you be okay?" he asked her.  
  
" I'm the same age as you are, I can take care of myself." Carly reminded him.  
  
That was when Carly found herself being pulled into his arms, " What are you doing?" she protested.  
  
Mulder kissed her in response, his mouth devouring hers hungrily. He felt her responding and the kiss turned passionate.   
  
  
  
After a couple of minutes, Carly shoved Mulder away from her, " I'm sorry…I can't do this." She stammered, " I didn't mean to-" she didn't finished her sentence. She retreated back in her apartment and closed the door in his face.   
  
Mulder went back to his own apartment when that familiar odour of cigarette smoke returned. He glanced down the hallway and saw the smoking man glaring at him, looking furious.   
  
I think I just made a terrible mistake.   
  
* * *  
  
There was a sharp knock on her door. Thinking it was Maddy, Carly went to answer it.  
  
" Oh…hello," she greeted the CSM. He didn't look very happy.  
  
" What were you doing with Agent Mulder?" he demanded her.  
  
" What do you mean?" she asked after a pause.  
  
He strode into the apartment and lit a Morley, " Don't play dumb Carly, I saw you." He blurted.  
  
Carly's face went pale. She tried to say something but was speechless.  
  
" I saw you kissing him, " he growled, his grey-blue eyes darkening.  
  
" He was kissing me," she protested, " he kissed me first…you have to believe me."   
  
" I didn't see you trying to stop him." The CSM said as his free had went into his pocket.  
  
" I didn't know he liked me that way," Carly pleaded, " He took me by surprise. That kiss didn't mean anything."   
  
The CSM didn't want to listen to anymore of her feeble protests. She had betrayed him and he had lost his trust in her. He whirled around and stalked out of her apartment, slamming the door behind him.   
  
In his apartment, Mulder was wondering wether or not to apologise to Carly, when a shot rang out, echoing through the apartment building. Fear coursed through him as he went to investigate.   
  
The door to Carly's apartment was open. He went in and found Carly on the living room floor, her blood turning the white carpet crimson.   
  
That son of a bitch! He shot her! Mulder thought as he knelt down by the still body of Carly. He checked her pulse-it was still there but very weak.  
  
He dialled 911 and then dialled Scully's number as well.  
  
" Scully." His partner answered.   
  
" Scully, it's Cary," Mulder said, " she's been shot."  
  
" Shot?" Scully repeated, " is she okay?"  
  
" No, she's still alive, but just barely. I've called 911 and we're going to the hospital."  
  
" I'll meet you there." Scully assured him then hung up. He pocketed his cell phone and a few minutes later, two paramedics arrived with a stretcher. Mulder was trying his best to stop the flow of blood from her chest, but the blood streamed through his fingers, turning them slick and bloody.   
  
Her life was quickly slipping away and Mulder felt helpless.  
  
About 20 minutes later, the CSM returned to Carly's apartment after cooling down a bit.   
  
The CSM tensed…something wasn't quite right. He walked in and found a big blood stain on the living room carpet and no sign of Carly.  
  
A shadow fell over him and he whirled around-it was her sister Madeline, looking drunk but scared to death.  
  
" Where's Carly?" he demanded her.  
  
" She's been taken to the hospital, she's been shot." Madeline explained and stumbled over to the couch. She laid down and almost immediately began to snore.  
  
The CSM shook his head in disgust-Madeline didn't seem to care her sister was wounded and could be dying. He left her there and headed for the hospital.   
  
Mulder wasn't allowed to go into the emergency room, so he waited impatiently for the doctors to operate on Carly. Scully waited with him, a worried look etched on her face. She glanced over at Mulder to ask him something, but he was glaring down the hallway at someone.   
  
  
  
" I can't believe he has the nerve to come here." He growled before striding down the hall to confront his enemy.   
  
He took out his gun and pointed it at the CSM, " That was a petty move you made," Mulder told the CSM.  
  
" Petty? What are you talking about Agent Mulder?"  
  
" You shooting Carly," Mulder snapped, " that's low, even for you."  
  
" I did not shoot her," the CSM shot back and shoved Mulder away from him, " I cannot be bothered dealing with you Agent Mulder."   
  
" Don't deny it, it's obvious why you shot her," Mulder continued, keeping his gun aimed at his head.  
  
" I might have caught the two of you kissing," the CSM glared at Mulder, " And I was angry about that, but I would never harm her. If you've finished cross-examining me, I would like to go the emergency room."  
  
" Mulder, let it go," Scully said to her partner wearily, " if he says he didn't do it, then he didn't do it."  
  
Mulder pocketed his gun and watched sullenly as the smoking man disappeared inside the emergency room.  
  
" I hate him,' he grumbled to himself.  
  
* * *  
  
" Excuse me sir, you are not allowed in here," one of the doctors told the CSM.  
  
The CSM glanced at the still form of his lover on the table. They were trying very hard to save her life, but it did not look good. From the looks of it, Carly had lost a lot of blood…and the blood was still flowing from the bullet wound in her chest.  
  
" Did the bullet get her heart?" he asked the doctor.  
  
" No, it missed by a millimetre," she paused, " but she is still in grave danger. Are you family?"  
  
" No, I'm a good friend," the CSM tried to peer over the doctor's shoulder but she was blocking his view.  
  
" Please, wait outside and we'll keep you updated," she ordered him and he reluctantly exited the room.  
  
Mulder felt oddly triumphant that even he wasn't allowed in the emergency room. Scully asked the CSM how Carly was doing.  
  
" She's still in grave danger…but the bullet missed her heart so she might have a chance." The CSM told her then retreated to one of the other chairs a few meters away and lit up a Morley.   
  
" Carly!" Agent Mulder shouted as Carly felt herself falling off the side of the fishing boat. Carly didn't know how it happened…did she slip?  
  
Carly treaded water, trying to stay afloat, but the waves were too strong and wanted to drag her under.  
  
" Give me your hand!" Mulder shouted, leaning over.  
  
She reached and wasn't close enough. She doggie-paddled until their hands connected. She wondered briefly why Spender wasn't on the boat.  
  
Mulder's grip on her hand tightened and he started to pull her up, into the boat. She saw his terrified, white face as he stared at something behind her. A huge wave pounded over them and Carly was yanked from Mulder's grip.   
  
" Carly!" Mulder shouted and dived from the boat. He swum over to her and carried her safely back to the boat.  
  
" Don't let go," Mulder told Carly as she stared up at him in silent thanks.   
  
* * *  
  
Half an hour later, the doctor told the agents and the CSM that they had stopped the bleeding and had stitched up the wound. Carly was past the worst of it and was going to pull through.  
  
" Did any of you realise she was pregnant?" the doctor then asked the little group.  
  
" Yes we did," Mulder paused then added, " he was the father." He nodded at the CSM.  
  
" I'm afraid Ms. Garrett had a miscarriage during the operation," the doctor told them.  
  
The CSM glanced over the emergency room, a look of pain etched in his face. Mulder had never seem him like this before and he was actually starting to feel sorry for him-just a bit though.   
  
" She can have visitors…one at a time. We'll be moving her into the ICU room." The doctor finished before disappearing inside the emergency room. A few minutes later, they wheeled her into the ICU room. The CSM walked over to the bed.   
  
Carly was not hooked on life support as she was breathing on her own.  
  
He brushed a strand of brown/reddish hair from her face and kissed her forehead, " I'm sorry we lost the baby," he whispered, " I'll find out whoever did this to you," he promised and he then surprised himself by adding, " I love you." It felt right saying those words. He originally thought he just wanted Carly for physical reasons only, but he had grown fond of her and that fondness had turned into love.   
  
One hour later, the men of the Syndicate looked up in surprise when the furious CSM stormed into the room.  
  
He walked straight over to Alex Krycheck and pointed his gun at the younger man's temple,   
  
" I should kill you for harming Carly," he hissed.  
  
Alex raised his hands in defence, " I didn't harm Carly! What are you talking about?"  
  
" Carly was found in her apartment with a bullet embedded in her chest." The CSM told the group, " Whoever did it, own up now."  
  
The men all looked at each other, " None of us harmed Carly." The Well-Manicured Man told the CSM, " you have my word on that."  
  
The CSM pocketed his gun, " then who did?" he asked them but no one answered. The CSM sighed, sometimes it was like talking to a brick wall when it came to the Syndicate.  
  
He left the building and went to Carly's apartment. He studied her white carpet which was now ruined from her blood.  
  
" is Carly okay?" a voice asked behind him and he turned. It was Madeline, looking sober now. In her hand she held a small revolver.  
  
" Yes, she's going to be all right," the CSM told her, " but we lost the baby."  
  
Instead of looking sympathetic Maddy looked triumphant, " Well, I'm glad to hear that." She said.  
  
" What are you saying Madeline? And what are you doing with that gun?" he asked her.  
  
" I'm surprised you haven't figured it out yet," Maddy went on.  
  
" Figured what out?"  
  
" I'm the one who shot Carly."  
  
The CSM stared at Madeline, " Why would you shoot your own sister?"  
  
" Because I hate her," Madeline replied simply, She was going to have a baby whereas I couldn't ever have children. She never wanted kids in the first place and I've always wanted to be a mother. The whole idea of her becoming a mother was wrong, so I made it right." Madeline fingered the gun she was holding, " I wanted her to die so badly…"  
  
The CSM could see that she was jealous of Carly-insanely jealous.   
  
" Now that you know, you must die too." Madeline decided the CSM found himself in a familiar situation-a gun aiming at him.  
  
" No one knows that I shot Carly but you," Madeline went on, " all I have to do is plant this weapon next to your dead body and everyone will think you were the one who shot Carly, then committed suicide."   
  
She doesn't know me, the CSM reminded himself, she doesn't know what I'm capable of.   
  
" I know what you're thinking agent Mulder," Carly was saying to Mulder back at the hospital, " You think Spender shot me don't you?"  
  
" Yes, he did…didn't he?"  
  
" He didn't shoot me, he would never harm me." Carly looked up at pleadingly, " You must believe me."  
  
" If it wasn't him, then who was it?" Mulder demanded.   
  
" Madeline…my sister."   
  
Back in her apartment, the CSM was trying to get the gun away from Madeline and it was proven to be difficult. He didn't want to harm the sister of the woman he loved.  
  
Maddy swung the gun at his temple, but missed. He made another grab for the gun when the door to the apartment flew open and the two agents barged in, guns pointing at Madeline.  
  
" Drop the weapon Madeline!" Agent Mulder shouted at her.  
  
Maddy turned to face them, " I didn't shoot Carly, it was him!" she protested, " then he tried to kill me!"  
  
" You can stop the lies," Scully interjected, " Carly told us it was you. You are under arrest for the attempted murder of Carly Garrett." Mulder and Scully were too busy with the deranged sister to notice the CSM had gone.  
  
" Madeline has been arrested," the CSM reported as he walked into Carly's room.  
  
Carly smiled sadly, " Poor Maddy…if I only knew what she was going through, I could have helped her."  
  
" You didn't know she wanted to kill you," the CSM reminded her, " she's beyond help."  
  
" Did you know we lost the baby?" she asked him.  
  
" Yes, the doctor told me,"   
  
Tears gathered in her eyes, " I might have not wanted children and the baby was certainly a surprise, but I was starting to love the unborn child…now its gone…"   
  
The CSM sat on the bed and hugged her, " we could always try again." He offered.  
  
She didn't answer. He held her as she wept.  
  
* * *  
  
That afternoon, Mulder paid her a visit. " Scully says hi," he greeted her and gave her the bouquet of flowers, " these are from both of us."  
  
" Thanks Agent Mulder, they're really pretty." Carly took them from him.  
  
" Listen, about last night and the kiss," Mulder began, " I'm sorry if it caused you trouble with Spender…"  
  
" The kiss had already bee forgotten," Carly assured him with a smile.   
  
That's just it, Mulder wanted to tell her, I don't want it to be forgotten. They chatted for awhile before he left. The CSM ignored Mulder as he disappeared inside the ward.  
  
Mulder watched as the CSM sat on the bed and the two lovers started kissing.  
  
He really does care about her, Mulder thought as their kiss deepened, as long as she's happy. He couldn't watch them anymore, he turned and left.  
  
" I love you," Carly told the CSM, " I just wanted to return the sentiment."  
  
He frowned, " What do you mean?"  
  
" You told me you loved me." Carly reminded him, " I heard you say it yesterday."  
  
" And I still do." The CSM assured her before his mouth came down onto hers for another kiss. 


	2. The Shooting Spree

A/N: I've changed the two chapters around a bit. This will not be a MSR...you have been warned!  
  
THREE MONTHS LATER  
  
" Are you sure you don't want to come?" Special Agent Fox Mulder asked his partner Dana Scully over the phone.  
  
" Why waste my money on a movie I've already seen about a hundred times?" Scully replied.  
  
" But you get a chance to see it on the big screen again," Mulder reminded her.  
  
" I know, but it's not really my type of film. You and Carly can go," Scully said. Mulder said goodbye and pocketed his cell phone.  
  
" She's not budging," he told his friend and neighbour Carly Garrett.  
  
Carly smiled wryly, " It figures." She put on her jacket, " I have about three hours before he arrives home." She was referring to her lover the CSM and Mulder's nemesis.   
  
Mulder nodded silently. He loathed the fact his enemy was sleeping with the woman Mulder was attracted to and Mulder never forgot about their forbidden kiss three months ago.  
  
If Carly had forgotten about it, then you should too. Mulder told himself as they walked out of her apartment and down the stairs. Mulder drove them to the movie theatre which was showing the Ghostbusters.   
  
They paid for their popcorn and drinks and chose to sit in the middle. The lights went dim and the previews began to roll.   
  
Carly glanced over at Mulder and wondered if he ever thought about their kiss? She often did and was angry at herself for doing so because she was with the CSM and loved him.  
  
Didn't she?  
  
" Mulder" she whispered, " I have to ask you something."  
  
" What is it?" he whispered back, his eyes never leaving the screen.  
  
" It's about what happened between us…the kiss."   
  
Mulder glanced down at her, " I thought you had forgotten about it." He replied.  
  
" No…I keep thinking about it and I wish…" she paused, " I wish it never happened."  
  
Mulder stared down at her with those puppy-dog brown eyes of his, " I never regretted kissing you." He told her and he leaned down to kiss her.   
  
Their almost kiss was interrupted when a gunshot rang out through the movie theatre. The theatre was filled screams and nine more gunshots was heard.   
  
Mulder and Carly hid behind their seats to avoid getting shot at. When there were no more gunshots, Mulder peered over his seat.   
  
Nine people lay dead in their seats or in the aisle, blood pouring from their gunshot wounds. The killer was walking down the aisle, oblivious to everything. Her eyes had a dark, haunted look to them and Mulder knew she was drugged.  
  
  
  
" Stay down," he told Carly before diving into the aisle and tackling the woman to the ground. The woman screamed and struggled in Mulder's arms.  
  
" Let go of me!" she ordered Mulder, " I have to kill her!" she struggled violently but Mulder held her wrists in a vice-like grip.  
  
" Kill who?" Mulder demanded, " You've already killed nine people…isn't that enough?"  
  
The mad woman stared right at Carly, her wild eyes boring into Carly's, " Her. I need to kill her."   
  
The bodies were taken away, the woman apprehended by the police-but the blood remained, staining the dark green carpet.  
  
Mulder had tried to interrogate her after when she claimed she needed to kill Carly, but the woman was refusing to speak now. The cops took her away and Mulder went over to Carly who was still in her seat. She had given her statement and watched as the last body was put into a body bag.  
  
" Why does that woman need to kill me?" Carly asked Mulder, " I've never seen her before in my life."  
  
" She's not telling me anything." Mulder said, " and it's pretty obvious she was on drugs when she killed those people."  
  
" Nine people died right in front of me," Carly said, " I'll never forget that image when she shoot those poor people."  
  
" Neither will I." Mulder took her arm and helped her to her feet, " It's lucky that we survived." When he lead Carly out of the movie theatre, his partner Dana Scully was waiting for them.  
  
" I just heard…are you two okay?" Scully asked them.  
  
" I think Carly's in shock," Mulder told her, " she's looking too white for my liking."  
  
" No, I'm okay," Carly assured them, " I just realised something, those people died because of me…that woman did say she needed to kill me."  
  
" You can't blame yourself Carly," Scully said, " you didn't shoot those people. That woman killed them at her own free will."  
  
Carly's cell phone went off then and she answered it, " Carly speaking."  
  
" Carly, I just heard the news…are you all right?" it was her lover, C.G.B. Spender, or as the two agents called him, the Cigarette-Smoking Man.  
  
" I'm fine." Carly said, " the woman is with the police. Agent Mulder and I are the only survivors."  
  
There was a pause, " You were with Agent Mulder?" Her lover was Agent Mulder's nemesis  
  
" Yes, you know I was going to the movies with him." Carly reminded him.  
  
" Oh, forgive me, I have forgotten." The CSM lied which wasn't true. He didn't like his girlfriend hanging around Agent Mulder, but there wasn't much he could do about it.   
  
They said goodbye and hung up. Carly turned to the agents, " If you don't need me anymore, I'd like to get home."  
  
" I'll drop you off." Mulder said opening the door to his car, " then Scully and I can go to the police station and interrogate the woman. I'll make sure the investigation is handed over to us."   
  
Mulder and Scully dropped Carly off at the apartment before they headed off towards the police station.  
  
  
  
Carly let herself in and locked the door firmly behind her. She put her coat on the coat rack before going into the kitchen to make herself a strong cup of coffee.  
  
After making herself a cup, she shuffled into the living room and jumped when she saw her lover sitting in her favourite recliner…smoking as usual.  
  
" You scared me." Carly greeted him. She'd forgotten she had given him a key to her apartment.  
  
The CSM stood up and put a hand on her shoulder, " Are you sure you're all right?"  
  
" I'm fine…just a bit shaken up." Carly smiled at him and sat down on the couch. Three months ago she had become pregnant with his child, but had a miscarriage. He's been protective of her ever since, always worried about her health.   
  
" The shooting spree will probably be on the news," Carly mused.  
  
The CSM didn't smile, " Did anything happen with you and Agent Mulder?" he hadn't forgotten about that passionate kiss Carly and Mulder had shared three months ago. He might have forgiven her, but he'd never forgotten it.   
  
" No, of course not." Her brow furrowed, " Don't you trust me?"  
  
The CSM sat down beside her, " I trust you, it's Agent Mulder I don't trust." 


	3. Escape

CHAPTER THREE  
  
It was in the middle of the night when the phone rang. Carly dragged herself out of bed to answer it.  
  
" Hello?" she croaked sleepily.  
  
" I might be in the lockup, but they can't hold me forever." A voice whispered.  
  
" Who is this?"  
  
" Some way or another Carly Garrett, I will kill you. And when I do, there will be no one around to save you." Then the caller hung up.  
  
Carly replaced the receiver. There was no doubt the caller had been the woman from the movie theatre.  
  
She hates me…and I don't even know who she is. Carly thought when she went back into the bedroom. The CSM stirred and looked over at her.  
  
" Who was it?"  
  
Carly told him about the phone call, " I don't know who this woman is or why she wants to kill me."  
  
" I'll keep an eye out for any suspicious activity around here," the CSM promised, " I won't let anyone hurt you…not after the way your sister did."  
  
Carly nodded. She didn't need any reminding about her sister…Madeline had been insanely jealous of her and one night had shot her, nearly killing Carly.   
  
Madeline was now behind bars for twenty years. Her father died three months ago and her mother died when they were teenagers…she had no other family.   
  
If she didn't have her friends and the CSM, she would truly be alone.  
  
" You recently inherited one million from your father," the CSM added, " Why don't you get out of this place and into a much nicer house?"  
  
" I could if I wanted to, but I like it here. Agent Mulder lives across the hall and we've become such good friends…I don't feel the need to move."  
  
  
  
Scully and Mulder were in the interrogation room at the police station. The woman still wasn't speaking.   
  
They left the interrogating room and Captain Jonathan O'Brien walked over to the two agents.  
  
" I'm thinking of handing the case over to the FBI." Jonathan told them, " the woman will not speak. Have you had much luck?"  
  
" No, but we'll keep trying. She must be kept under watch 24/7. A Woman's life in danger." Mulder cautioned the captain.  
  
" After her trail, when's she's found guilty, we'll be transferring her to the maximum security woman's prison in Arlington."   
  
Mulder watched as the woman was lead out of the interrogation room. When the guard led her past the two agents, the woman stared hard into Mulder's eyes before whispering, " She will still die…it doesn't matter where I'll end up, I'll kill her." Then they disappeared around the corner.  
  
" What did she say?" Scully asked him.  
  
" I'll tell you later." Mulder replied abruptly before leaving the police station.  
  
" No, tell me now Agent Mulder. If it was about Carly, I have a right to know." Scully insisted as they climbed into the car.  
  
Mulder sighed and told her, " no prison will hold this woman. She'll find a way to escape and kill Carly. She's hell bent on killing Carly, and I'm going to find out why."  
  
" How? She's refusing to tell us who is." Scully reminded him as Mulder started the car and drove them towards the movie theatre.  
  
" Where are we going?"  
  
" Back to the scene of the crime." Mulder paused, " Or rather, the scene of the massacre."   
  
The agents ducked under the yellow DO NOT CROSS ribbon.  
  
" Hey, you can't come in here," a cop protested, " This is a crime scene."  
  
" We're with the FBI," Mulder answered, " we're handling this case."  
  
" No you aren't, this is a police matter." The cop glared at him but Mulder just ignored him.   
  
" What are you looking for?" Scully asked her partner.  
  
" A clue to tell us who that woman is." Mulder said as he retraced the woman's footsteps down the aisle…to his disappointment, he found zilch.   
  
  
  
Later that night, Sandra Porter sat in her cell and tried to think of a way to escape.   
  
The guard walked up and down in front of her cell, humming to himself. Sandra's stomach churned painfully and she clutched at it. It was only a hunger pain, but it gave her an idea.   
  
" Hey…guard?" she called out weakly. The guard stopped his pacing and looked between the bars, into her cell.  
  
" What?" he demanded gruffly.  
  
" My stomach…it really hurts."  
  
" You just had dinner awhile ago, it must be digesting it."  
  
" No…it really hurts. I have this cramp in the lower part of my stomach." As if to prove her point, she groaned loudly and collapsed on the hard floor.  
  
The guard started to look concerned, " I admit the prison food isn't too crash hot. Let me have a look at you." He took out his keys and unlocked the cell door and stepped inside.   
  
The guard knelt down beside the prisoner. He was taken by complete surprise when Sandra's fist shot up and punched him in the left eye.  
  
He yelped and fell backwards, landing on his back. Sandra leaned down and grabbed his gun from the holster. Recovering slightly, the guard sat up to try and grab the gun back, but Sandra lashed out with it, hitting him in the temple, knocking him out cold.  
  
Sandra took his handcuffs from his belt and dragged the unconscious guard towards the bars. She slapped the handcuffs to one wrist while locking it to a bar. Then she pocketed his keys.  
  
" No prison can hold me." She whispered to the guard before leaving the cell and locking the guard inside. 


	4. The killer's plan

CHAPTER FOUR  
  
Early the following morning, Scully and Mulder received a call from the local police station. Scully watched as her partner shouted at the caller over the phone:  
  
" What do you mean she escaped?"  
  
" She attacked the security guard and made off with his gun and keys," the police officer explained him.   
  
" Let me know when you find her." Mulder said before hanging up. He turned to Scully, " the woman escaped from police custody late last night." He told Scully.  
  
" We must get to the station and talk to the witness," Scully replied.  
  
" I have to call Carly," Mulder said and dialled Carly's number.  
  
" Hello?" Carly answered.  
  
" Carly, it's Mulder. I have some bad news." Mulder paused.  
  
" What is it?"  
  
" The woman escaped from custody last night and is now on the run."  
  
" What?" Carly whispered.  
  
" You should be safe though, she doesn't know where you live."  
  
" Mulder…I think she's heading this way now…she called me last night and threatened me." Carly then told him about the phone call, " so if she has my number, then she must know where I live."  
  
" You're not safe there then." Mulder said, " you can stay with me until the woman is recaptured."  
  
The CSM was sitting on her recliner, listening to Carly's every word intently. He puffed away on his cigarette.  
  
" I don't want to put you out."  
  
" You won't be, its only temporarily until the mad woman is caught." Mulder assured her, " Pack up some clothes and meet me outside the apartment building so I can give you a spare key. I should be there in about five or ten minutes."  
  
" All right." Carly agreed and they hung up. She went back into the living room and told the CSM everything.  
  
" You're staying with Mulder?" the CSM frowned.   
  
" he can protect me from the woman…and she doesn't know where he lives. I'll be quite safe."  
  
" You'll be safer with me. The woman doesn't know me at all…you can stay with me." The CSM decided.  
  
It made more sense. The woman did know Mulder from the interrogation and could find out where he lived just by looking him up in the phone book.  
  
" I'll call him back then," she said and returned to the kitchen.  
  
* * *  
  
On their way to the police station, Mulder sighed, " I don't like the idea of her staying with him…"  
  
" I know you don't Mulder, but if she feels safe with him, then there's not much you can do about it," Scully pointed out reasonably.  
  
Mulder nodded, " Carly is right though, the woman does know me from the interrogation and could easily look me up…I never thought about that."  
  
" Even though the man is the cigarette-smoking man and we've dealt with him for a couple of years, Carly IS safe with him. For some weird reason, she loves him and he actually cares about her. It's a good choice."  
  
" I never thought I'd actually agree with you on that one." Mulder drummed his fingers on the steering wheel as he parked the car.  
  
They made their way inside and the two agents started talking to the security guard, Phillip Olson.   
  
  
  
Phillip was sporting a nasty-looking black eye and a gash on his temple, " Mr. Olson, could you tell us what happened last night?" Agent Scully asked him.  
  
Phillip rubbed his forehead, he had a slight concussion, but according to the doctor, he was going to be okay.  
  
" The woman was complaining of stomach aches," he remembered, " so I went into the cell to check on her, she punched me in the eye. The punch was so hard and fast, I didn't have much time to react."  
  
" What happened then?" Scully asked.  
  
" The punch had blinded me, I couldn't see for several seconds. The woman took my gun and bashed me in the head with it. The next thing I knew, it was morning and I found myself handcuffed to the cell."   
  
Phillip grimaced, " When they told me she had escaped, I felt so guilty. I could have done more to stop her, but everything happened so fast…let me tell you, she's strong."  
  
" Has she given you her name?" Mulder asked him.  
  
" Nope," Phillip shook his head and even that slight movement caused his headache to worsen. He groaned and stood up, " if you don't mind, I'd like to go home and have a lie down."  
  
He left the interrogation room and Scully turned to Mulder, " What do you think Mulder?"  
  
" I think we have to find this woman before she finds Carly." Mulder told his partner grimly.   
  
It was around noon when the escaped prisoner entered the apartment after lock picking. The prisoner strode into the living room, " Carly, are you home?" she yelled out and got no answer.  
  
Sandra found Carly's bedroom and noticed several drawers had been left open. She inspected the contents, there were hardly in clothes left and Sandra threw open the wardrobe…some clothes were missing from the hangers too.  
  
Carly must have known she had escaped and figured Sandra would come looking for her and had taken off to hide.  
  
Darn it! Sandra thought, leaving the closet open and going back into the living room.   
  
Sandra knew Carly was not staying with any of the two agents who had been interrogating her because Sandra could easily track them down.   
  
Sandra smiled to herself. Carly could not hide forever for Sandra knew the woman very well…she had gotten a lot of information about Carly from a reliable source-Carly's older sister Madeline who was now in jail after attempting to murder her little sister Carly.  
  
Carly was forty and was a full time author of a few published novels. She had once been an FBI Agent in the nineties for the California field office.  
  
Carly was currently dating a man the agents call 'The Cigarette-Smoking Man'. They obviously did not know his real name and Sandra knew he was Agent Mulder's nemesis.   
  
All I need to is find the address of Carly's boyfriend. Sandra thought and went back into Carly's bedroom and began going through the bedside drawer. Sandra found an address book and looked up the address. She found it easily enough and stuck the book into her pants pocket before leaving the apartment building. 


	5. Abduction

CHAPTER FIVE  
  
Her head pounded and her mouth was dry. Carly opened her eyes and tried to cry out but it came out muffled. She was gagged and bound with no hope of escape.  
  
How did I get here? Carly wondered, and where am I? She tried to remember who brought her to this cold, dark place but her mind was a complete blank.   
  
  
  
As Carly rested, her memory started returning and her eyes went wide with terror. The woman who was after her had kidnapped her from the CSM's apartment. Carly remembered watching TV when someone from behind bashed her in the temple and had pressed a cloth against her mouth, then everything went black.  
  
Carly didn't know how the woman knew where she was staying. All she knew was that the woman intended on killing her and Carly wished she could find out why.   
  
The memory of being kidnapped returned and she closed her eyes….  
  
The CSM was unwilling to leave Carly that night. The Syndicate had called an emergency meeting and the Well-Manicured Man insisted that he'd be there tonight. The CSM had objected, reminding him Carly's life was in danger and needed to be protected…still, the Well-Manicured man insisted.  
  
  
  
" I'll be fine," Carly was assuring her lover while he got ready. He could tell she was afraid of being alone…he could see it in her dark green eyes.   
  
" Maybe I can call Agent Mulder to keep me company?" she suggested brightly.  
  
" No, I've already told you, he must not know where I live…and the same goes for Agent Scully," the CSM never forgot the first time Mulder had found out where he lived. Mulder had came barging through the front door and pointed a gun at his head. Since then, then CSM had moved several times, never staying in one apartment for long.  
  
The CSM pocketed a new packet of Morley's and gave Carly a lingering kiss, " I'll be home around eleven," he promised, " Meanwhile, don't answer the door and the phone."  
  
" What if it's Mulder?"  
  
" I doubt it, he doesn't know where I live…unless you told him?"  
  
" I haven't given him your address or phone number," Carly reassured him, " I guess he can always reach me on my cell."  
  
The CSM nodded and left the apartment, locking the door securely.   
  
Half an hour later, Sandra Porter pulled to a stop outside the apartment building and stared up at the ten-storey building. Carly was staying with her lover on the second floor. She can try and pick the lock on Carly's front door and if that didn't work, she can climb up the fire escape, break a window and climb inside.  
  
Sandra went into the building and to the second floor. She found the apartment and began picking the lock…when the lock popped open, she tried to open the door when she realised the door was secured with a chain and a dead-lock.  
  
" Shit," she muttered and left the building to climb the fire escape.  
  
Inside, Carly had powered up her notebook computer and connected to the Internet. She went into her Inbox and found an email from Mulder. She scanned it, it wasn't anything special, he was telling her he had no leads on the killer yet and he assured her not to worry.   
  
She clicked Reply and began typing out her response:  
  
Subject: No leads yet  
  
From: MartyMulder@FreeMail.com  
  
To: CarlyGarrett@ExpressMail.com   
  
Date: 12th February 1994  
  
Hi Mulder,  
  
I'm home alone tonight because he's gone to some meeting and won't be back until eleven. If you are online, do you want to chat? If so, send me a message via AOL.  
  
Carly stopped typing when she heard cracking noises from the spare bedroom. It sounded like glass breaking.   
  
She turned back to the email and quickly continued typing, hoping Mulder was online and would get it…  
  
Mulder, someone is trying to break into my apartment…I can hear glass shattering…I can now hear footsteps. I fear it's the killer, she has found me. Help me Mulder, I'm in big trouble…  
  
She clicked SEND and at that moment, a shadow loomed over her. The woman was standing behind the couch. " I told you I'd find you," the woman whispered before she whacked Carly in the temple with her gun.   
  
There was nothing but blackness.   
  
  
  
Carly's body racked with sobs. She didn't know how long she'd been in this dark, cold place. She wondered if Mulder had gotten the urgent email she'd sent?   
  
Does anyone know I'm missing? Carly asked herself as she tried to make herself more comfortable, but it was impossible. Her ankles were tied together with wire and every time she tried to move, the wire dug into her skin painfully. The same went for her arms which were tied behind her back.   
  
  
  
The door opened and light spilled into the room. Carly took in her surroundings, she was in the basement which explained the cement floor and the cold, damp air. The basement was obviously not heated nor had any windows.  
  
Carly gazed up at her abductor. The brown-haired woman glared down at her, a malevolent gleam in her eyes.  
  
  
  
" I could easily kill you right now," the woman told her and brandished a butcher knife with a long, sharp blade, " but I won't. The agents will track me and my home soon, so we must leave." The woman walked behind Carly and untied the cloth from Carly's mouth.  
  
" Who are you?" Carly demanded the woman.  
  
" You don't remember me?" the woman asked.  
  
Carly shook her head, " I don't remember ever meeting you."  
  
" You will learn who I am in time," the woman assured her, " there will be no more questions coming from you either." She grabbed Carly's arm and hoisted her to her feet; the sudden movement making Carly dizzy.  
  
" I can't walk with my ankles tied." Carly reminded the woman.  
  
Sandra sighed, bent down and cut the wires with the knife. She stood up and pointed the knife at her, " if you make any stupid moves, I will use this." She warned Carly before leading her up the steps and out of the basement.  
  
" Where are we going?"  
  
Sandra glared at the other woman, " I told you, no more questions." She snapped and pushed Carly forward. They were moving through the kitchen, the hallway and out into the garage.  
  
" I have a right to know," Carly insisted.  
  
" We're leaving Washington," Sandra answered. She opened the trunk of the car, " Get in." she instructed Carly.  
  
" In there?" Carly whispered. The trunk looked too small and cramped…and it would be dark too.  
  
" Just get in damn you!" Sandra yelled loosing her patience.  
  
" I can't climb in with my wrists tied." Carly protested.  
  
Sandra cut the wires and Carly flexed her fingers. There were deep, red marks on her wrists and they were painful.   
  
  
  
The woman gave Carly a hard shove towards the trunk. Carly climbed into the trunk and curled up in a fetal position on her side. There wasn't any room to stretch out fully.   
  
Sandra took out some new wires from her pocket and retied Carly's wrists together and didn't bother with the ankles. There was no way she could escape from the trunk as it would be too hard with her wrists tied.  
  
The woman closed the trunk and Carly was in darkness once more. 


	6. No Escape

CHAPTER SIX  
  
That same night, Mulder opened his door about to go for a late-night jog, when he saw the cigarette-smoking man unlock the door to Carly's apartment.  
  
  
  
" Hey, what are you doing?" Mulder demanded him. The older man turned around to face him  
  
" This is my girlfriend's apartment Agent Mulder, she has given me a spare key." The smoking man reminded the younger man coldly.  
  
" Isn't she staying with you?"  
  
" Yes."  
  
" Then why are you here?" Mulder took a step forward, studying the older man. There was a look in his brown eyes that Mulder hasn't seen very often-a look of worry. Something was up.  
  
" I'm…looking for her." The CSM replied, " I thought she might have come back to get a few things…or she could have gone to see you."  
  
" No, she hasn't visited me lately." Mulder said, " she's not at your place?"  
  
The CSM sighed and lit up a Morley, " There's been a break-in. I come home to find the living room light still on and her computer was on too. The window in the spare bedroom was smashed."  
  
" Oh god, it's the woman…somehow she's found out where you lived."   
  
The CSM stared at Mulder, " How did she find out? How could she find out? She doesn't know I even exist."  
  
" Well, she found out somehow," Mulder pointed out before pushing past the CSM and entered Carly's apartment.  
  
  
  
Nothing seemed out of sorts, and Mulder went into her bedroom. The drawers of the bedside table were open and several items were on the double bed. Mulder picked up one, it was Carly's rolodex.   
  
Mulder began thumbing through it when the CSM walked up behind him and snatched the book from his hands.  
  
  
  
" What are you doing?" Mulder demanded, " Give that back."   
  
The CSM ignored him and flicked through the pages. He frowned, then stuffed the book inside his jacket.  
  
" Why won't you let me have it?" Mulder asked him.  
  
" It has my address in it," the CSM told him, " I cannot let you know my address. The woman has gone through this book and located my address." He sighed, " I've told Carly over and over to hide the book in a safe place."   
  
Mulder's cell phone rang then, the caller was Scully.  
  
  
  
" I have some good news," Scully said, " I know the woman's name and why she has a vendetta against Carly,"  
  
" I have some bad news for you Scully,"   
  
" What is it?" Scully asked and Mulder told her what happened, " We're both here trying to figure out what to do next."  
  
" You and the cigarette smoking man in the same room…together?" Scully sounded astonished, " Well, this information might help. The woman's name is Sandra Porter. She's thirty eight years old and is the younger sister of Noah Porter."  
  
The name Noah Porter rang a bell in Mulder's head.  
  
" Noah Porter used to be Carly's partner in the FBI back in the late eighties," Scully explained, " he was killed during a hostage situation."   
  
" Sandra might be after Carly to avenge her brother's death," Mulder mused,   
  
" she has some idea in her head that her brother's death is somehow Carly's fault. After all the years, Sandra has tracked her down…at a movie theatre of all places."  
  
" Do you have her address?"  
  
" Sure, but I doubt it Sandra will be still in Washington. She would have left the state by now knowing we'll be on her tail."   
  
" That's true, I'd like it anyway." Mulder said, taking out his notepad and a pen. Scully recited the address, " I'll meet you at Carly's place…I'll help look for her." She suggested. They hung up and Mulder told the CSM the news.  
  
" Well, let's go." The CSM said and started for the door.  
  
" Hang on a minute, Scully is meeting us here. Carly was her friend too and she's worried about her."   
  
" Waiting for Agent Scully will just delay us," the CSM said impatiently  
  
" She will be here soon," Mulder insisted and sat down on Carly's couch. The CSM waited in the kitchen. Both men glared at each other, tension building up between them.  
  
  
  
20 minutes later, Scully arrived to find the cigarette-smoking man in the kitchen and Mulder sitting on the couch in the living room.   
  
" What's going on?" Scully asked her partner.  
  
Mulder glared at the smoking man before turning to her, " I think I might know Sandra's motive for wanting to kill Carly."  
  
" What is it?"  
  
Mulder quickly explained as the threesome headed for the door and out to Mulder's car.  
  
They climbed into the car and Scully thought to herself, Mulder and his nemesis in the same car…this is not going to be pretty…I hope they can bury their issues for the time being…for Carly's sake.   
  
Meanwhile, locked up in the trunk, Carly shifted slightly. They have been travelling for well over two hours and her legs were getting cramped and she was dying to stretch out, but could not.  
  
Being locked up in a trunk is pure torture in itself. Carly was thinking as she took a deep breath and let it out slowly.   
  
  
  
The agents and the CSM would have found out she was missing by now. Mulder should have gotten the email.  
  
  
  
The car suddenly stopped and Carly listened intently. She heard footsteps then the trunk was opened as sunlight spilled over her.  
  
Sandra loomed over her, " We're here." She said expressionlessly and cut the wires from Carly's wrists and legs.   
  
" Get out," Sandra ordered and Carly did so. Her legs felt wobbly and achy but it was good to get out of the trunk and breathe in some fresh air.  
  
They had parked in front of a shabby looking motel complete with the tacky flashing neon sign that read: PARKERS MOTEL.   
  
" Now, try and act normal. I will be pretending that you're my sister and we're here on a holiday. Got it?"   
  
Carly nodded as Sandra lugged two duffels out of the car, " I packed a decoy bag for you, otherwise they'd wonder why you haven't got any luggage yourself."   
  
She's thought of everything, Carly thought glumly as she followed Sandra into the lobby, she's a mastermind…there's no way I can escape now. 


	7. Unrecognizable

CHAPTER EIGHT  
  
A/N: to my latest reviewer: thanks, but the CSM deserves a lover and I'm sick of all the MSR fics out there. There's certainly enough out there and I decided to write this one just to be different. I'm not the type to follow the crowds.   
  
The CSM did have a lover once, remember that he once had an affair with Mulder's mother? She wasn't subjected to horrible tests.   
  
And anyway, I'm enjoying penning this story and there will be several more to come. Carly will not remain a Mary Sue forever…I'm sorry if she turned out that way.   
  
Carly's stomach growled plaintively and as if on cue, so did Sandra's. They were driving along a tree-lined road somewhere out of Washington but she wasn't quite sure where. She was sitting in the backseat, thankfully free of wires.   
  
The trees thinned out and a few buildings loomed up ahead. They were in a town. Sandra drove for another half an hour until she parked alongside a row of shops.  
  
" Come on, let's go." Sandra said as she opened her door.  
  
" Where are we going?"  
  
" to get some hair dye."  
  
" Hair dye?"  
  
" The manager back at the store recognised us from the news report. If we dye our hair, no one will recognise me as America's Most Wanted or you as the hostage."   
  
Carly's stomach growled again, this time more louder. She decided to be more aggressive with Sandra, " I'm not going anywhere until you get me something to eat." She told her.   
  
Sandra craned her neck to glare at her, " Come with me or I'll kill you," she took her gun out of her handbag.  
  
Carly remained put, " If you wanted to kill me, you would have done it already. I'm staying until I get some food."  
  
Sandra stared at the woman, her eyes locked with Carly's green ones. She couldn't tell if Carly was bluffing or she was serious.  
  
" And anyway, you can't kill me in a public place. You'd be arrested in a second." Carly added.   
  
Sandra sighed. Carly was right, she couldn't kill Carly here. " All right, come on then." She jumped out of the car and Carly followed her. " remember that we are two sisters on vacation." She reminded her hostage.  
  
Sandra strode purposefully towards the nearest drug store that stood between a music shop and an adults only store.   
  
Carly raised a hand and ran it through her blonde highlights and bit her lip. Three months ago she had gone to the hairdresser and got a new hairstyle-short with blonde highlights. The hair dye would ruin a $200 job.  
  
Sandra bought two boxes of red hair dye, " If we both had red hair, we really would look like sisters." Sandra told Carly.  
  
They bought takeaway sandwiches from a nearby deli, they got no suspicious looks.   
  
That night, Carly stared at herself in the mirror. Her blonde highlights were gone thanks to the dark red hair dye she had to use. She didn't normally obsess about her looks, but red hair did not suit her. It made her already fair complexion look ghostly pale.   
  
" Let's see how you look," Sandra called through the closed bathroom door. They were staying at Inglewood Inn, Inglewood being the name of the rural town.   
  
Carly opened the door and Sandra studied her intently. " You look so different, no one will be able to recognise you now." She patted her own red hair, " As for me, when I looked at myself in the mirror, I saw a stranger staring back at me. Which is exactly what I wanted."  
  
Carly nodded and followed her abductor into the living room. The motel room was a lot nicer than the one they stayed in last night. It was bigger with a kitchenette, living room, two bedrooms and a bathroom. They even had their own balcony because they were staying on the third floor.   
  
Carly sank down onto the sofa and Sandra disappeared into her bedroom. Carly stared at the gun Sandra had left on the coffee table. It would be so easy to grab the gun and turn it on Sandra…but Sandra had other weapons and she was not afraid to use them.  
  
A few minutes later, Sandra reappeared, dressed in a skimpy red dress that showed too much cleavage and platform shoes. Her red hair tumbled down her shoulders in waves.  
  
" I'm going to the pub. I've ordered some pizza for you for dinner. Here's some money to pay for it." Sandra left twenty dollars on the coffee table, " If you escape, I will find you and kill you. Got it?"  
  
Carly nodded mutely.  
  
" I'll be gone for a few hours." Sandra picked up her gun and stashed it into her bag and without another word, she left the motel.  
  
Carly breathed a sigh of relief. It was good to get rid of Sandra for a few hours. And it was kind of nice of Sandra to order pizza for her even though Carly did not eat take away food often.  
  
She switched on the TV and settled back. The news was on and she saw a photo of herself and Sandra on the screen. So they were still talking about her. She was probably in the newspaper too.  
  
The news cut to the FBI headquarters and saw her two friends Mulder and Scully leave the building, trying to doge the barrage of questions the reporters were asking them. " Do you have anything to say about the whereabouts of the writer and her abductor?" one reporter asked Scully, sticking a microphone into her face.  
  
Scully pushed the microphone aside, looking very annoyed, " We have no comment at this time."  
  
  
  
Zachary Watson trudged up the stairs to the third floor to deliver a pizza. He hated this job, hated the wage. He glanced down at the piece of paper with the room number and found the room.   
  
He knocked on the door and waited. The door opened and a red-haired, petite lady peered out at him.   
  
" Here's your pizza," the delivery guy greeted her as he handed her a large cardboard box with the greasy pizza inside.  
  
" Thanks."  
  
" That will be twenty dollars." The guy added and she handed him the money when she hit with an idea.  
  
" Listen, I want you to do something for me." Carly whispered urgently, then wondered why she whispered. Sandra wasn't here.  
  
The delivery guy shook his head, " I gotta get back. I have other pizzas to deliver."  
  
Bribe him, Carly told herself, " If I give you a fifty, would you do a huge favour for me?"  
  
The delivery boy hesitated, " Okay." He agreed. What the heck, may as well earn a little something on the side. He thought to himself.  
  
" What's your name?" Carly asked him.  
  
" Zack. What's yours?" he demanded, now feeling suspicious of this red-haired lady.  
  
" My name is Carly Garrett. Have you watched the news lately about a woman being abducted by someone who killed nine people in a movie theatre?"  
  
" Sure, its all over the news and in the paper." Zack nodded.  
  
" I don't want to scare you Zack, but this urgent." Carly paused, " You see, I'm the woman who was abducted."   
  
Zachary's blue eyes went wide and his mouth dropped open, " No way!" he whispered in shock, " the woman who was abducted had blonde highlights and you have red hair."  
  
" She made me dye my hair so I'd be harder to recognise," Carly stepped aside suddenly , " Come inside."  
  
" I don't know," he hedged.  
  
Carly pulled out her wallet and gave him a fifty, " I won't hurt you. I truly am the woman who was abducted and you'd be a big help to me."  
  
If I saved this woman, I'd be famous! Zachary thought, " All right. What do you want me to do?"  
  
Carly went to a chest of small drawers next to the couch and rummaged inside until she found a notepad and several pencils with the motel's name on them.  
  
" I want you to see these two FBI Agents and tell them where I am," she jotted down the names of Agent Mulder and Scully and their office phone number. She also jotted down the number of Mulder's cell phone, " tell them we're staying at Inglewood Motel in Inglewood and that we are heading to a town called Wicklow in Maryland. It's a whole day's drive. I don't know what she's planning to do when we get there, buts that our next destination. Do you think you could that?"  
  
" Where are the agents now?"   
  
" I don't know, but you don't need to know that. Just call them and tell them where I am. That's all you need to do."  
  
Zack nodded, " Okay, I'll do that. Is there any way I can reach you?"  
  
" No, but once this is over, I'll look you up and thank you. Okay?"  
  
" All right." Zack nodded.  
  
" And don't tell anyone you saw me. It could put me more at risk and even put you in danger for helping me."  
  
Zack nodded again, looking less confident as he left the motel. Carly crossed her fingers and prayed Zack never ran into Sandra… 


	8. A Nightmare

CHAPTER NINE  
  
Scully wanted to bang her head against the steering wheel. Mulder and the CSM had been arguing non-stop ever since they left the motel and showed no signs of letting up.  
  
Finally, Scully had enough, " Would you two shut up?" she snapped at them, " I am getting sick and tired of hearing you guys squabble…"  
  
The two men glared at her but kept quiet.  
  
A few minutes later, Mulder's cell phone rang and he answered it, " Agent Mulder speaking."  
  
There was a long pause. Mulder could hear the caller breathing, " Hello?"   
  
The caller cleared his throat, " Um, hi Agent Mulder."  
  
" Hi…who's calling?"   
  
" I can't tell you," the voice belonged to a teenager, " If I do, I might get into trouble."  
  
" How did you get my cell number?" Mulder demanded the boy.  
  
The teenager ignored the question, " I'm calling about that woman who was abducted…Carly."  
  
" What do you know about it?" Mulder asked calmly not wanting to scare the boy into hanging up.   
  
The boy told him the whole story, " Carly said their next destination is Wicklow in Maryland." The boy concluded as Mulder wrote the name down on his notepad.  
  
" That's a whole day's drive from here." Mulder said.  
  
" Can I go now?" the boy asked Mulder, " I've done what she wanted."  
  
" Yes you did…you said she had red hair?"  
  
" Yeah, she told me the woman made her dye her hair." The boy recalled.  
  
" Okay thanks kid." Mulder paused, " Was there anything else?" Mulder wanted to know the name of the motel, but feared it might put the boy in danger.  
  
" Nope. That was it."  
  
  
  
* * *  
  
Carly was woken by the sound of the motel door opening. She sat rigidly as Sandra entered the motel room, smelling of bourbon and her eyes were glazed over, she was drunk and stoned.   
  
The woman stumbled around the living room, muttering something unintelligible under her breath before whirling around to face her hostage, " I've decided not to wait any longer." She slurred.  
  
" Wait for what?" Carly asked, shrinking back into the couch, wishing she could just disappear.   
  
Sandra wobbled closer and fished her gun out of her handbag, " I'm ready to kill you now."  
  
Carly stared at the gun in horror, " Sandra, please…"  
  
" Begging will do you no good," Sandra rasped and pulled the trigger…  
  
Carly jolted awake, sweat running down her forehead. She pushed her sweaty bangs out of her eyes as she rose from the sofa. She had fallen asleep after eating the pizza and she noticed half of the pizza was still left in the box and it was cold. She made a face, she hated cold pizza and greasy boxes. Her stomach churned at the thought of the ham and pineapple slices she ate earlier.   
  
Carly carried the box into the kitchen and left it on the counter. She glanced at the clock; it was nearly 1 am and Sandra had not yet returned.  
  
She's probably drunk and stoned at the pub, Carly thought disgusted, I remember that night in the movie theatre, she certainly likes her drugs.  
  
Carly went into one of the bedrooms and kicked of her sandals. She wished she had her nightgown or a change of clothes. She'd been wearing her jeans, polo shirt and purple sweater ever since she'd been abducted. If she was rescued, she was going to burn these clothes.   
  
It's a pretty big if. No one knows where you are. Unless Zack does good on the favour. If not, you've wasted fifty bucks on a kid who'll most likely spend on it booze.   
  
She curled up under the blankets and waited for sleep to come.   
  
To help her sleep, she conjured up an image of her lover's face. She missed him and imagined he was lying in bed with her and was wrapping his arms around her like he did every night back home.   
  
She wondered if that would ever happen again….  
  
* * *  
  
Carly went into the bathroom and ran a hand through her messy hair and splashed some cold water onto her face to wake up. Then she went into the living room to find her abductor sleeping on the couch, snoring loudly with her mouth wide open. It wasn't a pretty sight. Carly went into the kitchen to make herself a strong cup of coffee.  
  
Once the kettle was boiled, she opened a small packet of instant coffee that the motel supplies and poured it into a mug. She filled the mug with the boiled water and added two packets of sugar into it and stirred it with a spoon before taking it back into her bedroom.  
  
Two hours later, Sandra awoke and groaned, she had the fiercest headache. She couldn't remember where she went or what she drank last night. She stumbled into the bathroom and checked her reflection in the mirror. She looked totally awful-her long hair was matted and greasy-looking. Her dark eyes were blood-shot and her face was pasty.   
  
She had a long, hot shower and went back into the living room drying her hair as she went. " Carly where are you?" she called out and Carly's bedroom door opened, " Here." She said and walked over to Sandra.  
  
" I feel totally awful, but that won't put a damper on my plans for you." Sandra told her hostage, " We will be leaving today and heading for Wicklow." Wicklow was a small, rural town where she and her brother had grown-up in.  
  
Carly hoped that Scully, Mulder and the CSM would be waiting for them when they arrive in Wicklow… 


	9. Lives in peril

CHAPTER TEN  
  
A/N: I've made a couple of changes in chapters eight and nine. Because I am not American, I had to look up a map of Washington DC and its surrounding towns and decided to put Wicklow in Maryland. Wicklow is a made up place ( I think). Its actually the name of a street I used to live in NZ. I live in Australia so my spelling could be different from you Americans. Keep the reviews coming!  
  
" Are we going the right way Mulder?" It was Mulder's turn to drive. He refused to let the CSM to drive of course. The man was sitting in the back and smoking, with the back window rolled down. He hadn't said much and whenever Mulder glanced at him through the review mirror, there was worry in the CSM's eyes.  
  
He really does care for Carly, Mulder mused but I still don't see why she loves him! I'll never understand it.   
  
" Yes, I can read a street map Scully," Mulder snapped at her and she glared at him.  
  
Mulder ignored her conceding look and focused on the road in front of them.   
  
Meanwhile, puffing away on his Morley, the CSM stared out of the window. They were driving by some green rolling hills and he knew they were the country but there were at least several hours before they reached Wicklow. He fervently hoped no harm will come to Carly when they arrive.   
  
* * *  
  
They arrived in Wicklow about four p.m. Carly's shoulders sagged when she didn't see a car anywhere. Mulder and Scully did not make it, or the pizza guy decided not to tell them.  
  
They drove up a sandy driveway up to a large farmhouse which was surrounded by trees and bushes. Around the back were the fields.  
  
Sandra unlocked her door and ordered Carly to get out of the car. Sandra went to the trunk and took out a tripod and a camera. She walked up the steps with Carly following behind reluctantly.  
  
Sandra unlocked the door to the house and they stepped inside. They were in the living room with the furniture still inside. Sandra directed Carly to sit on the couch while she set up the camera.  
  
" What is it for?" Carly eyed the camera warily.  
  
" I'm going to record you," Sandra replied matter-of-factly.  
  
" What for?"  
  
" You will be recording a confession," Sandra said.  
  
" What kind of confession?" Carly's eyes darkened.  
  
" You'll see." Sandra placed her gun on the kitchen bench before setting up the camera on the tripod. Then she took out a piece of paper from her duffle and handed it to her, " I'll give you a few seconds to read this over."  
  
Carly glanced down and went white. Sandra wanted her to confess she had wanted to kill her partner Noah! It went on describing how she was in on the hostage situation with the killer.  
  
" This is crap! I will not read this!" Carly shouted, outraged, " no one will believe any of it."  
  
" Oh they will. Especially if it comes from your own mouth. You will confess." Sandra turned the camera on and Carly stared at the little red light.  
  
" Now, confess."  
  
After Carly recorded the confession, Sandra turned off the camera and beamed at her, " Well done! Although you could been a little livelier."   
  
Carly scowled at her, " the confession is a load of rubbish! Why should I act lively about something that isn't true?"  
  
Sandra ignored her as she packed up her camera and the tripod. She zipped up the duffle bag and took out a box of matches and a lighter.  
  
" The tape will be shown on the news tonight on every new station," she told Carly.  
  
" Since I've done what you wanted, are you going to let me go?"  
  
" No," Sandra shook her head, " once the police see your confession, you would be arrested. But jail is not what I have in mind for you. Being in prison is not a suitable punishment."  
  
Carly narrowed her eyes, " then what in God's name is?"  
  
" Death," Sandra said simply.  
  
Carly slumped in the chair, so Sandra was going to kill her after all.   
  
" I'll be last person you'll ever see before your life goes up in smoke." Sandra added.  
  
Sandra disappeared for a few moments and returned with a can of gasoline. She wet the living room carpet with the stuff and turned on the gas for extra measure. She glanced towards the front door to make sure it was still open, so that she would have a chance to escape.   
  
She lit a match and darted towards the door, " See you in hell," she said before throwing the lighted match to the floor. She threw herself out the front door just as the carpet began to smoulder…  
  
* * *  
  
Flames licked at the carpet and were travelling towards the couch. Carly sat frozen, unable to move.   
  
She turned on the gas…this house will blow to smithereens if you don't turn the gas off! She reminded herself. She recalled Sandra going down to the basement to do that, so she left the living room and went to search for the basement.  
  
The car nearly missed hitting them as it raced down the hill. Mulder tooted the horn at the driver, but the woman didn't stop.   
  
" Call the police Scully," Mulder said to his partner, " and call for the fire department, I can see smoke coming out of the window."  
  
He was right, thick smoke was billowing out of the window which was located at the side of the house. The two agents and the CSM climbed out of the car.  
  
The CSM didn't say a word as he disappeared inside the farmhouse, determined to find the woman he loved.  
  
Scully was talking on the cell phone when Mulder followed the CSM.  
  
" Mulder what are you doing?" she called to him, but he ignored her and went inside the house.   
  
Someone grabbed her arm and she whirled around to face her lover. Her eyes went wide, " What are you doing here?" she demanded him, but threw her arms around him without waiting for an answer.  
  
" The living room is on fire, we have to find another way out," the CSM told her.  
  
" How'd you get here if its on fire?"  
  
" The flames aren't near the door, but I think they might be now."  
  
" I was going to turn off the gas mains," Carly opened the door to the basement, " but sicne Sandra tried to kill me, then framed me for murder, I see no reason why I should save her house."  
  
" Let us leave then," the CSM urged her.  
  
" There is a back door, come on." She lead him the way to the back door and both were outside, unhurt.  
  
" Scully!" Carly called out to her friend. She didn't see Mulder anywhere.   
  
" Where's Mulder?" Scully greeted her.  
  
" What do you mean?" Carly asked her.  
  
" He went in to find you," Scully explained, " hasn't he come out?"  
  
Carly's face went white, " the house is gonna blow up, I haven't managed to turn off the gas mains…" she turned around and went back inside the house through the back door.  
  
The fire had filled the living room and there was no way of getting through the front door. Any minute the flames would be reaching the hallway that lead to the bedrooms, the stairs and the back door.   
  
She began looking through the bedrooms but still did not find Mulder. She climbed the stairs and bumped into something solid.  
  
Mulder grabbed her arm to steady her before she fell, " I'm glad I found you." He greeted her, his face covered with soot and there was a cut on his forehead.  
  
More debris from the ceiling fell and the house gave an almighty shudder-as if there had been earthquake.   
  
" We have to go now Mulder," she replied and they raced back down the stairs, towards the back door. The fire was now in the hallway, the smoke thick.  
  
  
  
The CSM urged Carly to hurry it up-he could see her in the doorway of the back door and was about to call out to her when the house shuddered again. She lurched out with Mulder close behind.   
  
The house gave a loud groan and a sickening creak before the entire farmhouse collapsed…trapping Mulder and Carly beneath the rubble... 


	10. Safe again

CHAPTER ELEVEN  
  
The police and fire department, plus the ambulance arrived. The fire was still burning and the fire crew put it out. Now the farmhouse was nothing more than burnt ahses and rubble…and two people were buried underneath it.  
  
The fire crew began making their way through the huge pile of rubble to look for them. Twenty minutes later, they had found Mulder, who was alive and conscious. His face was covered with soot and there were deep scratches on his face as well. His clothes were torn and he was limping.  
  
" Mulder, are you okay?" Scully asked her partner as the fireman helped Mulder to a waiting stretcher.  
  
Mulder started to reply, but began to cough violently.  
  
" You must have severe smoke inhalation," Scully commented, " Let's get to you the hospital."  
  
" Not until they find Carly," Mulder replied, his voice hoarse.  
  
It was another fifteen minutes until the fire crew found Carly trapped. Like Mulder, her face was covered with black, but unlike Mulder, she was unconscious.   
  
* * *  
  
When she opened her eyes, her head ached unbearably and she couldn't move her left arm. When her vision cleared, she saw that her arm was covered in plaster. With her free arm, she touched her face gingerly, she had several cuts and her forehead was wrapped in a bandage.   
  
I've had better days, Carly thought as she tried to sit up. A hand forced her back down, Scully was standing next to her bed.  
  
" Where am I?" was the first thing she asked them.  
  
" At the hospital," Scully replied, " you've been out for several hours."  
  
" Is my arm broken?"  
  
Scully nodded, " yes, and you have a concussion. Try not to make any sudden moves."  
  
" Is Mulder okay?"  
  
" He's fine, he got a bit of smoke inhalation and some cuts and bruises, but he will live."   
  
Carly hesitated before asking, " Did he come?"  
  
" the cigarette-smoking man?"  
  
Carly made a face, " I don't know why you and Mulder insist on calling him that."  
  
" Because we don't know his name," Scully reminded her, " the only person who knows is you."  
  
" I promised him I wouldn't tell anyone," Carly said, " Did he come and visit me?"  
  
" Yes he did. He was leaving when I arrived." Scully assured her and at that moment, Mulder entered the room. He was dressed and ready to go home.   
  
" How are you feeling?" Mulder asked Carly as he crossed the room to her bed.  
  
" I have a headache and my arm is unbelievably itchy under this cast…I've never felt better," Carly joked lamely, then fell quiet. An image of Sandra popped in her head.  
  
" Sandra is still out there," Carly said.  
  
" No she isn't. The police arrested her when she tried to leave Wicklow," Mulder replied, " she's in prison under heavy guard…she won't hurt you or anyone else anymore."  
  
" She could still get out," Carly pointed out, " she did the first time she was put in prison."  
  
" I promise that won't happen. You're safe Carly," Scully reassured her.  
  
" What about that bogus confession tape? Has the media gotten their hands on it?"   
  
" No, the police found the tape in her car after they arrested her. They viewed the tape then destroyed it because Sandra confessed it was bogus."  
  
" Thank God." Carly sighed.   
  
The two agents left the hospital a few minutes later and Scully drove Mulder home.  
  
" It's going to take Carly awhile to get over this," Scully mused.  
  
Mulder nodded, " I think I'll give her some space…I guess she feels safest with the cigarette-smoking man."  
  
" You still have feelings for her," it was a statement, not a question. They both knew his answer.  
  
  
  
* * *  
  
  
  
The following evening, Carly was discharged from hospital when she didn't suffer from a relapse. Her concussion was gone and the doctor told her it would take six weeks for her broken arm to heal.  
  
The CSM drove her home and stayed with her. It was around nine thirty when Mulder rang with some news.  
  
" Scully got a phone call from the prison," Mulder greeted her, " Sandra is dead."  
  
" Dead?" Carly echoed, her hand gripped the receiver.  
  
" She was found shot in the chest in her cell," Mulder explained, " one of the security guards heard a shot but never saw the gunman."  
  
" She's really dead?"  
  
" yes, she is." Mulder said and they talked for a while longer before saying goodnight. When she told the CSM the news, he didn't look surprised.  
  
" I can feel safe again," she told him.  
  
The CSM nodded, Carly doesn't need to know he had helped end the life of Sandra Porter who had terrorized Carly. No one will hurt the woman he loved again…not if he had something to do with it.   
  
THE END. 


End file.
